IHF) 1St Standard Allocation 2020 Allocation Strategy (As of 13 May 2020)

Iraq Humanitarian Fund (IHF) 1st Standard Allocation 2020 Allocation Strategy (as of 13 May 2020) Summary Overview o This Allocation Strategy is issued by the Humanitarian Coordinator (HC), in consultation with the Clusters and Advisory Board (AB), to set the IHF funding priorities for the 1st Standard Allocation 2020. o A total amount of up to US$ 12 million is available for this allocation. This allocation strategy paper outlines the allocation priorities and rationale for the prioritization. o This allocation paper also provides strategic direction and a timeline for the allocation process. o The HC in discussion with the AB has set the Allocation criteria as follows; Only Out-of-camp and other underserved locations Focus on ICCG priority HRP activities to support COVID-19 Response Focus on areas of response facing marked resource mobilization challenges Allocation strategy and rationale Situation Overview As of 10 May 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed 2,676 cases of COVID-19 in Iraq; 107 fatalities; and 1,702 patients who have recovered from the virus. The Government of Iraq (GOI) and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) have generally relaxed enforcement of the stringent curfews and movement restrictions which have been in place for several weeks, although they are nominally still applicable. Partial lockdowns are currently in force in federal Iraq until 22 May, and in Kurdistan Region of Iraq until 18 May. The WHO and the Ministry of Health recommend maintenance of strict protective measures for all citizens to prevent a resurgence of new cases in the country. The humanitarian community in Iraq is committed to both act now to stem the impact of COVID-19 by protecting those most at risk in already vulnerable humanitarian contexts and continue to support existing humanitarian response plans, in increasingly challenging environments. A commitment to maintain existing humanitarian operations is a critical element of the COVID-19 response to ensure that the most vulnerable do not become even more susceptible to the effects of the pandemic. Impact on Humanitarian Operations Humanitarian clusters in Iraq have mapped out the challenges encountered in implementing humanitarian activities in the face of COVID-19 movement restrictions. As of 13 April, at least 17 activities identified within the 2020 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) had been reprogrammed and another 32 activities have been delayed. Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM): The lack of access to formal and informal sites due to a combination of non-issuance of national access letters and COVID-19 related movement restrictions remains the biggest impediment for camp management partners to prepare camps for a potential outbreak, as well as the need for agreement on establishment of quarantine / isolation areas in camps as risk mitigation and contingency measures Coordination and Common Services (CSS): The Cluster reports that COVID-19 related movement restrictions have compounded challenged existing coordination mechanisms, hindered planned data collection, and jeopardized coordinated needs assessments. Education: The Cluster notes that all schools across Iraq are closed and every learning related activity is currently suspended, resulting in delayed implementation of educational support nationwide, including for those children identified within the 2020 HRP. Health: The lack of adequate capacity in health facilities and health workers to effectively respond to the current pandemic, movement restrictions, and limited supplies and equipment are major issues affecting Page | 2 the service delivery. Further, movement restrictions have impacted the access to essential and emergency services for vulnerable population groups, including pregnant women in need of antenatal and delivery care and mothers and children in need of nutrition and immunization services. Protection: Overall protection programming has been hampered by the lack of access due to movement restrictions and associated measures such as closure of community centers and relevant government offices. WASH: Movement restrictions imposed in March 2020 prevented WASH actors from reaching as many as 18,000 people with hygiene promotion services and 13,000 people in camps with adequate water and sanitation services. Cash assistance: In light of the recent mitigation measures imposed by the GoI and the KRG, the cash activities in Iraq, especially the multi-purpose cash assistance (MPCA), came to an abrupt stop with around 99 per cent of cash delivery planned put on hold affecting households in need of humanitarian assistances to cover basic needs. The mitigation measures also drained liquidity of financial service providers and limited their capacity to distribute cash. The Inter-Cluster Coordination Group (ICCG) has identified 72 priority activities that are critical to continue in order to ensure people’s suffering is minimized and that the current situation does not worsen. This includes 57 activities included in the 2020 HRP and 15 new activities directly related to preparedness, mitigation, response to COVID-19. The HQ has indicated that this allocation will prioritise the activities included in the 2020 HRP and NOT the newly identified activities. Allocation Parameters and Prioritization Criteria The HC and AB have agreed that the $12 million allocation will be disbursed by July 2020. The allocation will be used to finance areas of response facing marked resource mobilization challenges. To ensure the timely delivery of Humanitarian Assistance to beneficiaries, projects of existing IHF partners on ICCG/NCCI priority list and that supported the recent Access Severity Focus Group discussions and that meet the following criteria will be prioritised; Only Out-of-camp and other underserved locations Focus on ICCG priority HRP activities to support COVID-19 Response Focus on areas of response facing marked resource mobilisation challenges Large-scale, NGO led and multi partner or consortium projects will be prioritized – see below Consortium Projects In 2019, the HC and AB endorsed a consortium-based approach, whereby funds are allocated to multiple humanitarian actors through a single lead agency working in equal partnership with consortium members. The objectives of this approach are threefold (1) to channel funds to and capacity build national NGOs; (2) to enhance the efficiency of allocation processes and ensure timely disbursement of funds to prioritized humanitarian projects; and (3) to enhance coordination between partners and the response as a whole. For this 1st Standard Allocation of 2020, the consortium approach is considered the preferred modality but needs to ensure consortia function effectively as more than an administrative entity and really draw on the benefits of the modality. While consortia are the preferred modality, in cases where it is operationally not feasible, individual partner grants will still be signed upon agreement of the IHF, Cluster and partner and endorsed by the HC. Eligibility criteria and guidance for consortia projects are as follows; Consortium or multi-partner projects must budget for dedicated resources and management for the consortium to function. Consortia of up to 4 partners must include at least 1 NNGO, consortia of 5 or more partners must include at least 3 NNGOs. Page | 3 Projects led by international actors must include activities for capacity building of consortium members with emphasis on NNGOs in the proposal budget, log frame and activity plan. Consortium lead agencies are encouraged to share a proportion of the 7% program support costs (PSC) in agreement with consortium members. Maximum allowable consortia project budget is the sum of the individual partner allowable budget as per IHF operational modalities (see below). In accordance with article 5 of the IHF Grant Agreement, the consortium lead “shall be fully responsible for all work and services performed by these operational partners and for all acts and omissions committed by them or their employees.” A single partner my not apply for and lead more than 1 consortium projects per allocation. Cluster Priorities Based on the HCT-endorsed ICCG list of priority activities to support 2020 HRP activities and the COVID-19 response, the Clusters have identified the following needs and interventions as critical priorities for this allocation. Details of prioritised activities and locations can be found in Annex 1. Camp Coordination and Camp Management Allocation $1,100,000 Cluster needs’ and gaps outlined in the HRP for 2020 The 2020 HRP identifies significant service gaps in informal settlements, with an estimated 127,938 IDPs in protracted displacement – including those secondarily displaced after sudden camp closures and evictions from mid-2019 – living in underserved, often unsafe sites and in need of humanitarian assistance. IDPs living in these sites, even prior to the COVID-19 situation, experienced significant gaps in services and a consequent inability to meet basic needs. In addition to highlighting the ongoing humanitarian need in informal sites, the HRP also identifies the necessity for provision of data on the situation in informal sites in order to inform efficient and prioritized multi-sectoral interventions. While the 2020 HRP looks towards resilience and recovery, the humanitarian analysis for COVID-19 prioritization highlights the negative impacts and reduced coping capacity and resilience that the outbreak is likely to have, particularly on

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